Improving design of e-Learning courses to meet special needs

Web-based e-Learning could provide additional educational opportunities for disabled people to improve their qualification and to support their social integration especially into the knowledge-based economy. However, the requirements and wishes of disabled people are frequently not understood or taken into account by the designers of learning environments based on new media. Often, the users can not articulate their wishes about the learning environments and what they would like to learn for their future. In this paper scenario planning is presented as a method to help disabled people to express their wishes and plan their careers. Designers too, are addressed to increase their awareness about special needs of disabled people to improve the usability and accessibility of Web-based e-Learning. Examples of on-going projects are shortly presented.